Shropshire's London rail link on track for end of the year, say MPs
Shropshire's direct rail link to London is "on track" to be delivered by December, MPs revealed this afternoon after a meeting with train bosses.
It follows a meeting today where county MPs met with the Office of Rail Regulation to further a campaign to bring a direct rail link between our region and London's Euston Station.
The Government has already agreed to the establishment of a county service to the capital, as have Network Rail and Virgin Trains. It follows a Shropshire Star campaign to make the link a reality. It would mean direct trains from Telford, Wellington and Shrewsbury, avoiding the need to change services at Birmingham.
Today's meeting was chaired by MP for The Wrekin Mark Pritchard, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham Daniel Kawczynski, Environment Minister and MP for North Shropshire Owen Paterson, MP for Wrexham Ian Lucas, Telford & Wrekin Councillor for Newport East Eric Carter and the chief executive of the ORR Richard Price.
Mr Pritchard said: "It was a very positive and constructive meeting and the new direct rail link from Shropshire to London is now one step further.
"Virgin Trains is in discussion with the Department of Transport and the new service is still on track to come in December.
"This will be good news for local residents, businesses and Shropshire tourism.
"The transport secretary, Virgin Trains, Network Rail and the Office of the Rail Regulator have all now confirmed that December is when the service should be introduced."
Mr Pritchard said the ORR will make its final decision within eight weeks after contracts have been signed between Virgin Trains and Network Rail. Trains would leave Shrewsbury at 6.39am and 3.24pm each day, with return services at 10.23am and 6.23pm.
Hopes of restoring a direct link to the capital were derailed in January when Virgin announced it would not be launching in a new service in May as originally planned as it would not be "economically viable".
It was unhappy with the available time slots given to it, which would have made a day trip to the capital impossible using the direct services. The direct link was agreed after more than 3,000 people signed a Shropshire Star petition calling for the service to be restored.
